Austin Poganski THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 2/16/1996
Place of birth: St. Cloud, MN
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 198 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
Twitter: Pogo_11
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): NR
Other Rankings:
THW War Room Rankings (April): 117
ISS: not ranked
Future Considerations: not ranked
Craig Button: not ranked
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 100
***
A Right Wing Riser?
Sometimes a player just has that look about him. Austin Poganski is that type of prospect who looks like a bowling ball in a china shop. He is just about 200 pounds and only 6’1″. Yet the skater could fill out even a bit more. Poganski has that power forward look who scored 19 goals in 55 games this year for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. Watching the growth of the forward was a fun experience for scouts who did not expect him to come close to the top 100 in this year’s draft.
Yet Poganski is now in the top 100 among North American skaters. Some have made the case, he could move into the middle of the fourth round if the right team comes calling. People just seem to underestimate how fast his release is and how adept the right winger is at handling the puck. There is just something about the player that screams he is better than his numbers.
That being said, the defensive aspect of his game needs a bit of work at times. Austin Poganski must take a more authoritative role next season to start making those big steps. Whomever does draft the prospect is going to get a player with some nice upside.
Where Will He End Up In June:
Poganski has the potential to go somewhere between the fourth and fifth round. If there was a little more time, his stock might have gone up even more.
Scout’s Honor:
“Poganski is a strong, north-south winger with some jam in his game. He skates well and is hard to contain when he barrels down the wing. He drives to the net hard and isn’t afraid to get into rough areas. He has a quick shot and hands to handle the puck. (August 2013)”
Aaron Vickers — Future Considerations
“On a struggling team, Poganski has been streaky but improving in the second half and scouts like that he has been more assertive as the campaign has worn on. A big fan of Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin, Poganski is quite adept at getting in deep offensively.”
Ryan Kennedy — The Hockey News
Statistics:
Bio/Interview(s)/Links:
International Performances Shift Draft — USA Today
Austin Poganski — Mnhockeyprospects.com
ETA:
2-3 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 2.5/5 Reward: 2.5/5
NHL Potential:
Pognanski is a second or third line right winger with scoring potential.
Strengths:
Physicality
Battling on the boards
Strength on the puck
Adept hands
Assertiveness keeps rising
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Work more on his defensive play
Must learn to use his strength and speed in all zones.
Learning different roles when scoring dries up from time to time.
Skating
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 7/10 Defensive: 4/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– NHL comparison: Evgeni Malkin
Video(s):
***
THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph
